human trafficking

Describe the vulnerabilities of runaways in our country- human trafficking

According to Finklea (2012), runaways are highly vulnerable to sex trafficking and human trafficking. A study funded by the federal government revealed that about 1.7 million youth’s runaway or are forced out of their home. Approximately 36,800 runaway youths are sexually assaulted, land in the hands of sexually abusive strangers or are forced to engage in commercial sex activities. The runaways are susceptible to pimps and trafficking as they have inadequate resources to cater to their needs. They lack a supportive network when they get into unfamiliar environments. The runaways are approached by traffickers at the bus and train stations and in the public spaces. They engage in commercial sexual activities to create money for basic needs or get necessary adults’ necessary provisions.

Discuss the hopelessness and frustration experienced by family members who try to recover their child from a trafficking situation

Nicole presents a story of the hopelessness and frustrations that families experience in recovering their child from trafficking. She expresses that every morning she looked everywhere, including in the closet, hoping to find her daughter or a written note even in the closet. Sadly, her husband, Tony, was going through the same situation. She expresses that her daughter’s absence was like a daily nightmare. Her husband went out at night to look for her daughter in unimaginable places, handing over fliers. He would later look at the websites at night with the hope of finding their daughter. It is unfortunate that even after the victim called to wish her mother a happy birthday, she would not agree to come home (TEDxSeattle,2020).

What did you believe was an important point the mother made about law enforcement’s response to human trafficking victims? 

Nicole says that law enforcement must have trained first responders. These responders would help detect the signs that the victims of trafficking present and take corrective action. She says that untrained responders think that the victims are lying (TEDxSeattle,2020).

What did you find most poignant about this mother’s account of her daughter’s experience in human trafficking? And Why?

It is disheartening that the mother had to listen to her daughter to account for her predicaments about how she was sexually abused and sold for sex. She has always heard about such things happening overseas and could not believe that they occur in her backyard, particularly to her daughter. She almost breaks down as she accounts for this situation. The worst experience was losing her daughter to sex trafficking for the second time, and she felt like it was a daily nightmare with her daughter gone without a word for forty-seven days (TEDxSeattle,2020).

References

Finklea, K. M. (2012). Sex trafficking of children in the United States: Overview and Issues for Congress. DIANE Publishing.

TEDxSeattle (2020) Child sex trafficking in America: Nacole at TEDxRainier -. Retrieved 18 November 2020, from https://tedxseattle.com/talks/child-sex-trafficking-in-america-nacole-at-tedxrainier/